Landlord licensing in Scottish Borders Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence is required if a property is occupied by three or more unrelated people, forming their only or main residence.

Additional licensing

There is no separate additional licensing scheme in the Scottish Borders; HMO licensing covers shared housing meeting the HMO definition.

Selective licensing

All private landlords must be registered on the Scottish Landlord Register. Additionally, short-term let licences are required for properties used for holiday or short-stay accommodation across Scotland, as mandated by the Scottish Government.

Towns covered

Scottish Borders

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Scottish Borders Council area, the first job is to confirm if it requires a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence. HMO licensing applies where three or more unrelated people share a property, forming their only or main residence. All private landlords must also be entered on the Scottish Landlord Register, which is distinct from HMO licensing. Short-term let licences are also required for properties used for holiday accommodation in Scotland. Designations, fees and boundaries in Scotland change regularly, so always check the council's own licensing pages before each new tenancy rather than relying on previous information. Scottish lets use the Private Residential Tenancy (PRT), which is open-ended, with the Repairing Standard and tribunal-based possession grounds. Whatever the licensing position, landlords must always provide a current gas safety record where there is gas, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.